‘Storm’ slows Verizon computers

Customers are telling the Times Union it’s a “crash,” but Verizon says only that its computer network has slowed.

The reason? The Storm, a.k.a. the new BlackBerry phone from Research in Motion.

Meredith Dropkin, spokeswoman for service provider Verizon Wireless, said the process by which the company activates new phones and customers has been slowed by the “sheer volume of orders” for the Storm, the first Blackberry with a touch screen instead of a traditional phone keyboard.

Verizon has exclusive rights to sell the Storm, which went on sale today. The product had BlackBerry devotees lining up outside of Verizon stores this morning.

The company’s store at 1770 Central Ave. in Colonie had 25 to 30 people waiting when it opened today, Dropkin said.